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How to install bat CLI: syntax-highlighting cat, paging, --theme, vs cat

Install bat, tune paging and themes, disable the pager in scripts, and keep cat where POSIX matters.

cat dumps bytes; reading configs, CI logs, or source in the terminal deserves syntax color and line numbers. bat (Rust, sharkdp) is a cat with language detection, paging, and themes. This guide covers installing bat on macOS/Linux, paging flags, --theme and config, and bat vs cat for hereink readers who already search with ripgrep and list paths with fd.

The query is how to install bat CLI set paging and theme compare to cat. You should finish with bat on PATH, comfortable paging through a long file, --paging=never for scripts, and a theme picked via --theme or ~/.config/bat/config.

installbrew · apt · dnf
pagingless · --paging
theme--theme · config
install batpaging & themevs cat

What bat fixes

Readable file previews

bat src/lib.rs highlights syntax, shows line numbers, and can show Git change markers. Lighter than opening an IDE for a quick peek over SSH or locally.

Fits rg and fd

rg -l pattern | xargs bat opens hits with color; fd -e md | xargs bat previews many paths. Our fd guide covers search; this article stays on reading with bat.

Upstream: github.com/sharkdp/bat. Run bat --version after install.

Install on macOS and Linux

  1. 1
    macOS (Homebrew)

    brew install bat. Verify with which bat and bat --version.

  2. 2
    Debian / Ubuntu

    sudo apt update && sudo apt install bat. If packages lag, use GitHub Releases or cargo install bat.

  3. 3
    Fedora / Arch

    Fedora: sudo dnf install bat. Arch: sudo pacman -S bat.

  4. 4
    Windows (optional)

    scoop install bat or choco install bat. Examples below focus on macOS/Linux.

  5. 5
    First run

    In any repo: bat README.md. Tall terminals may page; short files print once.

Paging: less by default, off in scripts

When output exceeds one screen, bat hands off to a pager (usually less). Great for humans; pipes and scripts need plain stdout.

bat long.log
bat --paging=never package.json
export BAT_PAGER=""
bat --paging=never Dockerfile
bat --paging=always src/main.go

--paging values include auto (default), never, and always. Inside less: space for next page, q to quit, /pattern to search.

Themes: --theme and config file

bat --list-themes
bat --theme=TwoDark src/app.ts
bat --theme=GitHub README.md
echo '--theme="TwoDark"' >> ~/.config/bat/config
echo '--style="numbers,changes,header"' >> ~/.config/bat/config
export BAT_THEME="Monokai Extended"
bat Cargo.toml

--style toggles line numbers, headers, and Git bars. For a minimal cat-like view, use --style=plain or bat --plain.

Everyday reading flags

rg -n "ERROR" app.log | bat -l log
bat -r 10:25 src/config.yaml
bat src/*.rs
bat -A .env.example

bat vs cat

Goalbatcat
Interactive source/configbat file.tscat file.ts
Pipe to another toolbat --paging=never --plain file | wc -lcat file | wc -l
Concatenate filesbat a b c (headers)cat a b c
Binary dataavoidavoid; use xxd
POSIX minimal imageextra packagebuilt in
Pagingauto + lessnone; use less

You may alias cat to bat --paging=never --plain for daily use; legacy scripts can call /bin/cat when compatibility matters.

Fits
Terminal reading of code and configs, log snippets, piping rg/fd hits into previews.
Does not fit
Zero-dependency POSIX entrypoints or binary-safe byte streams—use cat or bat --plain --paging=never after checking output.
Overlap with the fd+bat article?

That guide pairs fd search with bat; this one goes deeper on install, --paging, --theme, and cat comparison.

Theme looks washed out?

Pick a light theme like GitHub or set BAT_THEME. Preview names with bat --list-themes | bat in your terminal.

Will bat break pipes?

Pagers and decorations can. Use --paging=never in scripts; add --plain when you need plain text.

After configs, align on one board

Once modules are clear in the terminal, service boundaries still belong on a shared canvas. See how to create a space.

Start a room